[PICS]EastEnders Cast Where Are They Now- 30 Years On By Evoke Reporter - 11/02/2015 Though it feels as if it’s been part of the fabric of life for ever, EastEnders — the soap derided as the Shouting Cockney Show — is only just about to celebrate its 30th birthday. It’s given us many of TV’s most memorable scenes, including the jawdropping row when Den Watts served his wife with divorce papers on Christmas Day, 1987, which ended with booze-sodden, battered Angie swallowing fistfuls of tablets and washing them down with vodka. More than 30 million viewers in Britain alone watched that episode, and many complained it had ruined their Christmas. Perhaps they were right: it started a tradition for massive storylines over the holiday season, leading to shockers such as the Emmerdale plane crash in 1993 and Matthew Crawley’s fatal car smash in Downton Abbey in 2012. But try as they might, no other drama can match EastEnders for its sheer ferocity.

There have been so many murders in Albert Square that the UN should declare it a war-zone. The show even opened with the discovery of a body, on February 19, 1985, and 30 years later all the characters are: 1. WENDY RICHARD (Pauline Fowler) SITCOM veteran Wendy also appeared in Are You Being Served?, Dad’s Army and a couple of Carry On films. Our favourite cheeky Cockney was actually born in Middlesbrough, in 1943. The matriarch of Albert Square, her 21 years on the show ended with an on-screen death in 2006. Wendy died from cancer in 2009, aged 65. Then and now: Wendy Richard (Pauline Fowler) pictured with her on-screen husband Arthur (Bill Treacher) in the first year of the soap, 1985 (left) and pictured in 2006 (right) 2. ANNA WING (Lou Beale) LOU was the most formidable character of the original cast, Pauline and Pete’s mother, and a no-nonsense Londoner.

Anna, who was 70 when the show began, was also a mighty personality: in the Fifties she had been the lover of poet Philip O’Connor, with whom she had a son. She left the show in 1988, but kept working right up to her death, aged 98, in 2013. Then and now: Anna Wing, who played Lou Beale, was one of the show’s best-loved characters. She left the show in 1988, but kept working right up to her death, aged 98, in 2013 3. LINDA DAVIDSON (Mary Smith) MARY was one of the Square’s most controversial characters — a former punk rock groupie and drug user whose wild lifestyle put her baby’s life at risk. Barely literate, she couldn’t look after her child without her neighbours’ help, and earned her living by prostitution. Actress Linda dated co-star Nejdet Salih and left the show in 1988; now aged 50, she gave up acting to work in internet design and today runs a social media agency.

Then and now: Linda Davidson as punk rock groupie Mary Smith in 1986 (left) and today (right) running a social media agency 4. ROSS DAVIDSON (Andy O’Brien) ROSS was a PE teacher who played water polo for Scotland before acting. EastEnders was his first major part — he played the nurse who has an affair with the Vic landlady, Angie Watts. In his final scene, in August 1986, Andy rows with girlfriend Shirley: when she tells him to ‘drop dead’, he stomps out of the house and is flattened by a lorry … making him the first character to be killed off. Ross believed he was dropped because he was dating his co-star Shirley Cheriton. He died from cancer, aged 57, in 2006. Then and now: Ross Davidson’s character Andy O’Brien was the first character to be killed off. Ross believed he was dropped because he was dating his co-star Shirley Cheriton. He died from cancer, aged 57, in 2006. 5.

SHIRLEY CHERITON (Debbie Wilkins) DEBBIE was a professional middle-class woman whose East under suspicion for another killing — the death of Lucy Beale. Then and now: Actress Shirley Cheriton, who left EastEnders in 1987, left with Ross Davison, was a favourite of series creator Julia Smith, who had also cast her in the hospital drama Angels. Now 59, she hasn’t appeared on TV since 2009. EastEnders always teeters on the brink of melodrama. But we take it seriously because it has never been afraid to tackle big issues such as racism and drug crime. But what it does best is building up a mystery until the country is in a lather of speculation. In 1985, when 16-year-old Michelle Fowler refused to tell anyone who the father of her baby was, the game was given away when we glimpsed her lover’s car … it was Dirty Den Watts! Then there was Sharongate, the 1994 Walford love triangle featuring Den’s daughter and the gangster brothers Phil and Grant Mitchell.

The moment Grant (Ross Kemp) discovered his wife was sleeping with his brother has been voted the best moment in British soap history. Lucy Beale’s killer will be revealed live on February 19 — 30 years to the day since the first episode. And, three decades of scandalous storylines later, many of Walford’s original stars are still household names … End property was an investment as well as a home. The working-class locals thought she was stuck-up and pretentious. Actress Shirley, who left EastEnders in 1987, was a favourite of series creator Julia Smith, who had also cast her in the hospital drama Angels. Now 59, she hasn’t appeared on TV since 2009. 6. BILL TREACHER (Arthur Fowler) THE gruelling pace of filming EastEnders left stage actor Bill exhausted. Arthur saw his daughter pregnant at 16, his son infected with HIV and himself having a breakdown. Bill left in 1996 (‘by the time I finished, even the theme music was making me feel ill’). He later appeared in films including George And The Dragon in 2004. Now 84, he is retired.

Then and now: Bill Treacher, playing Arthur Fowler, was one of the show’s longest-serving stars. He was later in The Bill and is now retired 7. SUSAN TULLY (Michelle Fowler) SUSAN, now 46, grew up on a North London council estate and started acting through a community theatre school. Before EastEnders, she was familiar to viewers from the children’s series Grange Hill. She’s now a TV director, whose credits include Lark Rise To Candleford. She played Michelle until 1995, and the character was credited with saving EastEnders — viewing figures had slumped to seven million before the storyline of her secret pregnancy, aged 16, reeled viewers back in. Then and now: Susan Tully, who started her career on Grange Hill, starred as Michelle Fowler untill 1996. She is now a director, whose credits include Lark Rise To Candleford 8. LETITIA DEAN (Sharon Watts) A GRADUATE of the Sylvia Young theatre school and another Grange Hill old girl, Letitia was born in the quaint English Home Counties, but claimed at her audition she was a Cockney.

Her dirty laugh apparently won her the part of Den and Angie’s daughter. She left for the first time in 1995, and has returned to Albert Square several times — and is still on the show it today. Now 47, Letitia has also competed on Strictly Come Dancing. Then and now: Leitia Dean as Sharon with onscreen husband Grant (Ross Kemp) in 1994 (left) and Dean filming scenes for Lucy Beale’s funeral last year (right) 9. GRETCHEN FRANKLIN (Ethel Skinner) BORN in 1911 into a showbusiness family, Gretchen was a dancer in Soho in the Twenties, a member of the tap troupe Four Brilliant Blondes and was also in Crossroads. As Ethel, she was the crony of Lou Beale and Dot Cotton, always to be found with a sherry and ‘my little Willy’, her beloved pug. She left EastEnders in 2000 and died in 2005, aged 94.

Gretchen Franklin in 1987 with Willy the pug (left) from Eastenders and pictured in 2005 shortly before her death (right) 10. WILLY THE PUG WILLY was spoilt, greedy and mischievous. The other characters couldn’t stand him: the local doctor complained bitterly about the mess Willy made on the pavements, and owner Ethel had to decline two marriage proposals when her suitors asked her to get rid of her precious pet. Willy was put down in 1992; two weeks later, the dog who had played him also died. 11. ROLY THE STANDARD POODLE LANDLORDS Den and Angie Watts never took much notice of daughter Sharon, but they poured their hearts out on their pooch. Whenever Den was in a rage, he’d grab Roly’s lead and drag the poor animal round the Square. Roly was nearly killed when Grant Mitchell set fire to the Vic for the insurance money, and died on screen when he was run over while chasing a cat in 1993. Roly’s real-life owner was EastEnders creator Julia Smith.

He died in real life in 1995. 12. LESLIE GRANTHAM (Dirty Den Watts) DIRTY DEN was the original villain of Albert Square, a bully who shoved his wife around and got his 16-yearold daughter’s best mate pregnant. TV had never had such a hated character — and the actor who played him, Grantham, actually murdered a taxi driver in a 1966 robbery. During his ten-year prison sentence, he took up acting. His character Den was seemingly killed in 1989, but he returned from the dead in 2003. The renaissance didn’t last long: Grantham, who is now 67, was caught in a sex scandal in 2004 — and Dirty Den was killed off for a second time shortly after. Then and now: Controversial character Dirty Den Watts (played by Leslie Grantham) with on-screen wife Angie (Anita Dobson) (left) and a brooding Den in 2004 (right) 13.

ANITA DOBSON (Angie Watts) A REAL EastEnder, Anita wasn’t the first choice to play the Queen Vic landlady — when filming began, the role was taken by Jean Fennell. Jean was deemed ‘too classy’ and was replaced. In 1986, Anita had a No 4 hit with Anyone Can Fall In Love in 1986, produced by Queen guitarist Brian May — whom she married. Angie left EastEnders after three years. Anita, 65, has been on Strictly and will play Elizabeth I in an upcoming documentary. Then and now: Anita Dobson was in the the soap for three years but was involved in many of its most memorable storylines. Married to Brian May, she is still acting 14. TOM WATT (Lofty Holloway) LOFTY, the Vic’s barman, was hopelessly in love with Michelle, and married her after she became a single mum … though she dumped him at the altar during the first ceremony. Watt left the show in 1988 to become a social worker. Now 58, he is a radio sports reporter and the ghostwriter of David Beckham’s autobiography.

Then and now: Tom Watt as Lofty in the soap with Susan Tully who played Michelle Fowler (left) and now, a radio sports reporter, appearing on This Morning (right) 15. LEONARD FENTON (Dr Harold Legg) THIS East End grammar school boy, the son of Jewish refugees from the Baltic states, was an army engineer in World War II. During a 50-year career in acting, he appeared in Z-Cars, Colditz and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. For 12 years, Fenton was Albert Square’s caring but irascible doctor. In 2004, Leonard made his debut as a theatre director.His character has returned to EastEnders three times over the years and, although Fenton is now 88, the doctor may yet be seen in the Square again. Then and now: East End grammar school boy Leonard Fenton played Dr Harold Legg, who treated the main characters and is still acting at 88 and may appear again on the Square despite his age 16.

ANDREW JOHNSON (Saeed Jeffery) SAEED owned a convenience store called First Til Last and was unhappily married to Naima (Shreela Ghosh), who refused to sleep with him. He started using prostitutes and making obscene phone calls to women. When he was found out, Saeed left the Square in shame in December 1985. Like his character, Andrew, 59, is from a mixed-race background, and reportedly was unhappy at the negative storylines foisted on Saeed. He moved to Hollywood and still works as an actor, in minor parts. 17. JOHN ALTMAN (Nasty Nick Cotton) HEROIN addict, racist, conman, killer and thief, Nasty Nick set the tone in the very first episode of EastEnders when he murdered the Square’s oldest resident for drug money. He killed again and very nearly poisoned his ‘dear old ma’, Dot. Written in at the last minute, Nick was never intended to be a lasting character, but is now in his sixth stint on the show and will play a significant part in the 30th anniversary episode.

In real life, Altman, 62, struggled with a drink problem in the Nineties. Then and now: John Altman has played bad boy Nasty Nick Cotton on and off for 30 years and is in his sixth spell in the soap 18. JUNE BROWN (Dot Cotton) NOMINATED for a BAFTA for her work as kind-hearted busybody Dot, 87-year-old June Brown’s career started at the Old Vic theatre school. She became the oldest dancer to take part in Strictly, in 2010, and appeared in West End hit Calendar Girls. The mother of six is the only EastEnders actress to have an entire episode to herself: in 2008 she performed a half-hour monologue, talking about her life as she recorded a tape for her husband, Jim Branning, who had suffered a stroke. That same year she was honoured by the Queen. Dot Branning (nee Colwell, previously Cotton) is still a Walford stalwart. Then and now: Eastenders institution and Bafta-nominated June Brown is still playing Dot Cotton after many years in the soap 19. PAUL J.

MEDFORD (Kelvin Carpenter) CURRENTLY starring in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Paul is a West End veteran. As Kelvin, he was the entrepreneur of Albert Square, who fell for an older woman and was humiliated when she publicly dumped. With Sharon and a group of friends, he set up a rock band, the Banned, but after some embarrassing gigs, Kelvin was forced to admit they were rubbish … but in real life their song Something Outa Nothing, credited to Letitia Dean and Paul Medford, reached No 12 in the British charts. Kelvin, now 47, left Walford in 1987 to do a degree in computer studies. Then and now: Paul Medford played Kelvin Carpenter in the soap, and launched a pop career with co-star Letitia Dean. He became a West End veteran and and is in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 20. OSCAR JAMES (Tony Carpenter) TONY was Kelvin’s father, an easygoing builder with a nagging wife. While he was working at the Vic as an odd-job man, Tony became Angie’s lover: he thought it was a serious relationship, but she was only using him to get back at Den.

After two years, including a stint as a minicab driver, Tony left to live in Trinidad. Oscar, 72, went on to perform Shakespeare. Then and now: Oscar James, who played Tony Carpenter, was an odd-job man who became Angie’s lover but left the soap after two years. The 72-year-old, who appeared on children’s television, recently appeared in a Shakespeare production 21. SANDY RATCLIFF (Sue Osman) SUE WAS at the centre of the most bleak storyline British soaps had ever seen when her baby died from cot death syndrome in June 1985. When she and husband Ali finally had another child, their marriage broke up; Sue had a breakdown and was sectioned. After leaving the show in 1989, actress Sandy, 64, slipped into heroin addiction; she later retrained as a counsellor. One of her last public appearances was at the Old Bailey trial of her then boyfriend, Michael Shorey, who was found guilty of murdering two women. 22. NEJDET SALIH (Ali Osman) BORN a Cypriot Turk, Ali was married to Sue and ran the Bridge Street Cafe with her.

He was a gambling addict and held nightly poker schools in the cafe after closing. He left Walford in 1989, after losing all his money at cards. The 56-year-old actor changed his name to Nej Adamson, and appeared in the final Carry On film in 1992, as well as playing a brigand in two Pirates Of The Caribbean movies. Then and now: Ali Osman, played by Nejdet Salih, was Albert Square’s gambling addict who left after losing all his money in a card game. Mr Salih went on to build a successful film career 23. GILLIAN TAYLFORTH (Kathy Beale) THE biggest real-life scandal to hit the EastEnders cast exploded when a traffic cop approached a car parked off the A1 and found a couple engaged in a sexual act. Gillian, 59, insisted she was only giving her fiance, Geoff Knights, a tummy rub to soothe his stomach ache, and she sued The Sun newspaper for suggesting otherwise. The court didn’t believe her. During the early years of EastEnders, Gillian dated her co-star Nick Berry, who played her stepson.

Her character, Kathy, was raped early in the show’s history, sparking a major TV controversy. Taylforth left the show in 1998, but returned three times. She was in soap Hollyoaks until this January. Then and now: Gillian Taylforth, left as Kathy Beale during the trial of James Willmott-Brown, who was accused of raping her, and right during a recent stint in Hollyoaks 24. ADAM WOODYATT (Ian Beale) THE only member of the cast who has appeared on the show without a break for 30 years. Ian has been married five times, and is currently engaged to Jane, one of his exwives. One of his biggest storylines saw him shot by a hitman hired by another wife, Cindy. In 2012, Ian had a breakdown and ended up living at a homeless hostel. Adam, 46, won the Lifetime Achievement trophy at the British Soap Awards in 2013, after nearly 3,000 appearances on the show.

Then and now: A very youthful looking Adam Woodyatt as Ian Beale in 1989 with Cindy (Michelle Collins) left and at the British Comedy Awards 2014 (right) 25. NICK BERRY (Simon Wicks) NICK wasn’t in the first few episodes, but was drafted in after another actor left unexpectedly, having refused to play a scene where his character used racist language. Nick’s character, Wicksy, proved almost too popular — he was an instant pin-up and in 1986 Nick enjoyed a No 1 with his song Every Loser Wins. After five years on EastEnders, Nick, 51, went on to star in nostalgic police series Heartbeat, and now runs a production firm called Valentine. Then and now: Nick Berry joined the show early on as SImon Wicks and it launched him to superstardom. He had a successful pop career, was the main character on Heartbeat and now runs a production company 26. PETER DEAN (Pete Beale) THE affable fruit and veg trader. He was Pauline’s twin, and a childhood mate of Dirty Den.

In real life, Peter Dean’s family ran a stall in Petticoat Lane, and he attracted customers by bellowing out quotes from Shakespeare. Actress Prunella Scales heard him, and urged him to go to drama college. Pete Beale was killed off in a car crash in 1993. After converting to Buddhism, Peter swore off alcohol. Aged 75, he enjoys racing greyhounds and is still an actor. Then and now: Fruit and veg trader Pete Beale, played by Peter Dean, was killed off in 1993 Where are the original EastEnders cast now? - BT Where are the original EastEnders cast now? As EastEnders celebrates its 30th anniversary, we look back at what happened with the original cast. Print this story It’s been 30 years since BBC soap EastEnders first debuted on screens. Characters have been killed, other residents have left while some such as Adam Woodyatt and June Brown are still living in Albert Square. As the show celebrates its milestone birthday, we take a trip down memory lane to relive the first ever cast photograph. (BBC) 1.

Wendy Richard (Pauline Fowler) (Ian West/PA) Wendy played the matriarch of Albert Square for 21 years until her on-screen death in 2006. The actress, who was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2006, decided to leave the show and was honoured with a lifetime achievement British Soap Award for for her role. She died from cancer in 2009, aged 65. 2. Anna Wing (Lou Beale) (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Pauline and Pete’s mother Lou was an intimidating matriarch in Walford, with a no-nonsense attitude. Anna, who was 70 when the show began, left EastEnders after three years in 1988, but continued working on stage and television with roles in Casualty, Doctors and French And Saunders. The actress, who was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2009, died in her sleep in 2013, aged 98. 3.

Bill Treacher (Arthur Fowler) (Neil Munns/PA) Stage star Bill played Arthur for 11 years from 1985 to 1996, admitting that the soap’s storylines and gruelling schedules left him tired. After his character was killed off, the actor had roles in The Bill and Casualty, and films such as The Musketeer in 2001, Tale Of The Mummy (1998), and George And The Dragon (2004). Now 84, he is enjoying the retired life with wife Katherine Kessey and their two children. 4. Susan Tully (Michelle Fowler) Susan with screen parents Bill and Wendy (PA) Former Grange Hill star Susan, now 46, portrayed single mum Michelle on the show for ten years from 1985 until 1995. She then gave up acting to work behind the camera and has directed and produced TV programmes such as Lark Rise To Candleford, The Bill and Silent Witness. 5.

Letitia Dean (Sharon Watts) (Dan Goldsmith/BBC) Letitia, who made her debut as Den and Angie’s daughter in 1985, initially left for the first time in 1995 before she reprised the role in 2001. She then appeared on and off until January 2006, and returned for her third stint on the soap in 2012, where she still is today. The 47-year-old actress has also competed on Strictly Come Dancing. 6. Linda Davidson (Mary Smith) (Ian West/PA) Mary was one of Albert Square’s most controversial characters — a former punk rock groupie and drug user whose wild lifestyle put her baby’s life at risk. Linda, who dated co-star Nejdet Salih (Ali Osman), left the show in 1988, and soon won roles in First Of The Summer Wine and Casualty before giving up performing. Now aged 50, she works in internet design and runs a social media agency. 7.

Ross Davidson (Andy O’Brien) (PA) Former PE teacher Ross won his major TV role on EastEnders, where he played the Scottish nurse who had an affair with Queen Vic landlady Angie Watts (Anita Dobson) for 18 months. His claim to fame on the show was the fact he was the first character to be killed off. After leaving in August 1986, Ross, who dated his screen girlfriend Shirley Cheriton, acted in stage plays, presented TV shows and starred in Brookside and Hollyoaks. He died from a brain tumour, aged 57, in 2006. 8. Shirley Cheriton (Debbie Wilkins) (PA) Shirley played Debbie, a middle-class yuppie bank clerk in Walford, whom the working-class locals thought was stuck-up and pretentious. The actress, who left EastEnders in 1987, was later cast in the soap’s creator Julia Smith’s show Angels, as well as MIT: Murder Investigation Team in 2003. Now 59, she hasn’t appeared on TV since 2009. 9.

Leslie Grantham (Dirty Den Watts) (Yui Mok/PA) Dirty Den, the original Queen Vic landlord, created the biggest “doof doof” moment when he handed divorce papers to Angie Watts in the 1986 Christmas Day episode, which was watched by a record-breaking 30.15 million viewers. Seemingly killed in 1989, he returned from the dead in 2003 – but was soon killed by manipulative second wife Chrissie (Tracy-Ann Oberman). A convicted murderer in real life, Leslie, now 67, has appeared on The Bill, plays and panto. 10. Anita Dobson (Angie Watts) (Anthony Devlin/PA) Anita replaced Jean Fennell, who was considered “too classy” to play the Queen Vic landlady, before she left three years later in 1988. The 65-year-old actress, who is married to Queen guitarist Brian May, had a No 4 hit with Anyone Can Fall In Love in 1986, and has been on Strictly Come Dancing.

With a regular part on CBeebies sketch show Gigglebiz, her next TV role sees her playing Elizabeth I for BBC Two’s new documentary series Armada. 11. Tom Watt (Lofty Holloway) (Yui Mok/PA) Tom played barman Lofty, who fell in love with Michelle and married her after she became a single mum although she dumped him at the altar during the first ceremony. The 59-year-old left the show in 1988 to become a social worker, but returned to the industry as a sports reporter. He also co-authored David Beckham’s autobiography. 12. Leonard Fenton (Dr Harold Legg) (Ian West/PA) Now 88, the former World War II Army engineer portrayed Albert Square’s doctor for 12 years until he left in 1997, although he has reprised the role three times over the years in 2000, 2004 and 2007. Leonard made his debut as a theatre director in 2004, and has been busy performing radio plays. 13.

Andrew Johnson (Saeed Jeffery) Andrew’s character Saeed owned a convenience store called First Til Last and was unhappily married to Naima (Shreela Ghosh), until he left the Square under a cloud of shame after making obscene phone calls to women in December 1985. The 59-year-old actor moved to Hollywood, where he has had minor roles in Murder She Wrote and Inspector Morse. 14. John Altman (Nasty Nick Cotton) (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Heroin addict, conman, killer and thief, Nasty Nick lives up to his name and is one of the soap’s most renowned villains. In the first episode of EastEnders, he murdered the Square’s oldest resident Reg Cox for drug money and almost poisoned his “dear old ma” Dot Cotton (June Brown). Never intended to be a lasting character, John, 62, is now in his sixth stint on the show as Nick and will play a pivotal role in the 30th anniversary episodes. 15.

June Brown (Dot Cotton) (Ian West/PA) The 87-year-old actress, who was given a MBE in 2008, has received a lifetime achievement soap award and a Bafta nomination for her performance as kind-hearted busybody Dot. The mother-of-six is the only EastEnders actress to have an entire episode to herself: in 2008 she performed a half-hour monologue, talking about the Walford stalwart’s life as she recorded a tape for her husband, Jim Branning, who had suffered a stroke. Aside from her life in the Square, June became the oldest dancer to take part on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, and has appeared in West End production of Calendar Girls. 16. Paul J Medford (Kelvin Carpenter) Currently starring in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, West End veteran Paul played Kelvin, the entrepreneur of the Square, who fell for an older woman and was humiliated when she publicly dumped him. He set up a band, The Banned, With Sharon and a group of friends, but was forced to give up after some embarrassing gigs.

In real life, their song Something Outa Nothing, credited to Letitia Dean and Paul Medford, reached No 12 in the UK charts. Kelvin, now 48, left Walford in 1987 to pursue a degree in computer studies. 17. Sandy Ratcliff (Sue Osman) Sandy’s alter-ego Sue had one of the bleakest soap storylines when her baby died from cot death syndrome in June 1985. Things didn’t improve when she got pregnant again – her marriage broke down, she had a breakdown and was sectioned. After leaving EastEnders in 1989, Sandy, now 64, had a battle with heroin addiction. She turned her fortunes around by later retraining as a counsellor before retiring. 18. Nejdet Salih (Ali Osman) During his stint on the show, Nejdet’s character battled with the loss of a child, gambling addiction, the breakdown of his marriage to Sue (Sandy) and her subsequent mental health problems.

After his departure in 1989, the 56-year-old actor changed his name to Nej Adamson, and has appeared in the last Carry On film in 1992, as well as playing a brigand in two Pirates Of The Caribbean movies. 19. Gillian Taylforth (Kathy Beale) (Ian West/PA) Gillian courted controversy on and off screen during her stay on EastEnders. Her character Kathy didn’t have an easy time on the Square – she was raped by her music teacher and gave her daughter up for adoption, in a first for UK soaps. Off-screen, the 59-year-old actress dated her co-star Nick Berry, who played her stepson Simon Beale. After leaving the show three times after 1998 (the last in January 2000), Gillian’s character was killed off-screen in 2006. Since EastEnders, she has had roles in Footballers Wives, The Bill and Hollyoaks. She reprised the role of Kathy for a Children In Need special last November. 20.

Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale) (Ian West/PA) The only member of the cast who has appeared on the show without a break for 30 years, Adam’s alter-ego Ian has been married five times, and is currently engaged to Jane, one of his ex-wives. One of his biggest storylines saw him shot by a hitman hired by another wife, Cindy. In 2012, Ian had a breakdown and ended up living at a homeless hostel. The 46-year-old actor won the lifetime achievement trophy at the British Soap Awards in 2013, after nearly 3,000 appearances on the show. 21. Nick Berry (Simon Wicks) (Myung Jung Kim/PA) Younger viewers might be more familiar with Nick from period police series Heartbeat, but his first well-loved character was as Wicksy on EastEnders. Nick wasn’t the original actor in the role – he took over when the first Simon left after refusing to use racist language as the character. Nick now runs his own production company, Valentine. 22.

Peter Dean (Pete Beale) Peter as Pete, back row far right, with the Beale family (PA) Pete was Pauline’s twin brother until his demise in a car crash in 1993. Actor Peter was well set up for the role as a market trader as that had been his real job before being spotted by Prunella Scales, who encouraged him into the profession. Post-EastEnders, 75-year-old Peter is tee total as a Buddhist, likes to race greyhounds and is still an actor. 23. Oscar James (Tony Carpenter) Oscar in Troilus And Cressida (Peter Jordan/PA) Tony was the Vic’s odd-job man, where he caught the eye of Angie and they started an affair, although he later discovered she was only trying to get back at husband Den. Tony enjoyed two years in Walford before leaving to live in Trinidad. Oscar, who played him, is now 72 and went on to tread the boards performing Shakespeare. 24.

Gretchen Franklin (Ethel Skinner) (PA) Ethel did a fair old stint on Albert Square, finally leaving in 2000 when her character chose to end her own life with the help of pal Dot Cotton. Gretchen, who played her, was a former dancer in Soho and also appeared in Crossroads. She died in 2005, aged 94. 25. Willy the pug Willy, second left held by Gretchen, poses with other celebs and their pooches (PA) Ever the consort of Ethel, Willy was the most spoilt dog ever to take up residence in E20. But the other Albert Square residents weren’t quite so keen on Willy and Ethel even turned down two marriage proposals when her fiances to be asked her to show the pug the door. Poor Willy was put down in 1992 and two weeks later, the dog who played him died, too. 26. Roly the standard poodle Roly poses alongside Willy (PA) Roly only survived canine co-star Willy by a year – he met a tragic end while chasing a cat into the path of traffic in 1993.

Owners Den and Angie adored the dog, but his real-life owner was EastEnders creator Julia Smith. He went to doggy heaven in 1995. Anita Dobson was not first choice to play Angie Watts in Eastenders | Daily Mail Online comments Stage actress Jean Fennell was initially picked to play Angie Watts, the landlady of the Queen Victoria in EastEnders, but she was sacked after clashing with formidable producer Julia Smith She enthralled millions as Angie Watts, the landlady of the Queen Victoria and the uncrowned queen of Albert Square. But Anita Dobson was not the first choice to play the EastEnders role that propelled her to stardom. Yesterday it emerged unknown stage actress Jean Fennell was picked to play the coveted part, but in a turn of events worthy of a plot line in the popular soap, she was sacked after clashing with formidable producer Julia Smith. It was a decision Miss Fennell would later describe as an 'injustice' to her family. She had already posed for the publicity shots alongside Leslie Grantham, who played Angie's husband, 'Dirty' Den Watts, Letitia Dean, who was her on-screen daughter Sharon and dog Roly.

But her rows with Miss Smith, her refusal to take direction or wear the trashy dresses that had been picked for her brassy character sealed her fate. As filming started, Miss Smith told the show's costume designer, June Hudson: 'Don't worry, June, there's going to be no problem with Jean.' Exactly what she meant became apparent a few days later when Miss Hudson was woken at home by a 6am phone call. She revealed: 'It was Jean crying: 'They've sacked me!' 'What?' I said. 'I don't know what to say, Jean. I'm so sorry.' I felt like saying, 'I warned you not to go against Julia.' The details of the behind-the-scenes drama have come to light for the first time to mark the 30th anniversary of the soap. Miss Dobson, Mr Grantham and Miss Dean became household names as a result of their tempestuous tenancy of the Queen Vic. For Miss Fennell however, another chance at glory never surfaced. She returned to the theatre and later taught English as a foreign language.

RELATED ARTICLES Share 133 shares In 2010, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, despite never having smoked, and she died in April 2011, aged just 59, in her council flat in Bloomsbury, with her sister Kay Fennell at her side. She is remembered by a plaque on a bench at St Paul's, the actors' church, in Covent Garden. Recalling the 'injustice' served to her sister on the day she was called in to the director's office, Miss Fennell told the Radio Times: 'She [Jean] was told bluntly that it was finished for her. She said everybody around heard her scream. Scroll down for video Miss Fennell (left) posed up for publicity shots with Leslie Grantham and Letitia Dean, who were to play her on-screen family Anita Dobson (centre) was not the first choice to play the EastEnders role, pictured with Leslie Grantham as Den Watts and Letitia Dean as Sharon Watts 'It was a huge shock. It felt to her like everything was being taken away from her. Julia Smith was behind it, the look of Jean was not what she had in her mind.

Jean wasn't hard enough. She was too light. It was a nuance of the character that she felt Jean didn't have. Jean understood.' Miss Fennell added her sister looked back on her brief association with EastEnders 'without rancour. She thought it was an injustice, but she never talked of what might have been.' Miss Dobson starred as Angie Watts from 1985 when the soap aired for the first time until 1988. Both she and the drama proved a hit among viewers, with 30.1million tuned in on Christmas Day 1986 to watch her character being served with divorce papers by her husband, known as 'Dirty Den'. Miss Dobson, now 65 and married to Queen singer Brian May, has since appeared in dramas including Dangerfield and Sunburn, as well as sitcoms such as Red Dwarf. And in 2011 she was among the celebrities to take part in Strictly Come Dancing. She once described herself as an all-rounder, saying: 'I've always enjoyed doing lots of different things. 'I did a bit of everything before the Soap.

I sang, I danced, I did comedy, as well as lots of heavy stuff like Pinter and Shakespeare and classics like Coward. I was an all-rounder really. Miss Fennell with her co-stars outside the Queen Vic. Her sister Kay said she looked back on her brief association with EastEnders 'without rancour. She thought it was an injustice, but she never talked of what might have been' Ms Dobson enthralled millions as Angie Watts, pictured with 'Dirty' Den Watts at the Queen Vic. The secrets of her casting, and how the was to be played by another actress are revealed in this week's Radio Times 30 things you never knew about EastEnders TV 30 things you never knew about EastEnders Did you know? Angie, Den and Sharon Watts were originally going to be named Jack, Pearl and Tracy Credit: BBC 7 June 2016 • 10:55am 1. It could have been called London Pride ... not that the beer company would have been bitter. Working titles for the show included E8, Square Dance, Round the Square, Round the Houses and London Pride.

They settled on EastEnders when creators Julia Smith and Tony Holland realised they had been phoning casting agencies for months, asking whether they had "any real East Enders" on their books. Smith thought “Eastenders looked ugly written down" and capitalised the second ‘e'. 2. When Den was Jack The original Queen Vic family of Den, Angie and Sharon Watts were originally going to be named Jack, Pearl and Tracy. 3. Dot dresses are the stuff of legend Most of the clothes for June Brown’s character Dot Branning née Cotton come from charity shops. She always wears the same dress every Christmas Day and at 28 years, it’s the oldest item in the show’s wardrobe department. Credit: BBC 4. Why Walford? Walford’s name was derived from the two areas of East London where creators Julia Smith and Tony Holland were born: “Wal” from Walthamstow and “Ford” from Stratford. 5. When a pub aint a pub When you open the front doors of the Queen Victoria pub, inside is just the corner of a bar. The full interior of The Vic is in Elstree Studio One. 6.

Michelle Collins wanted to be a punk Many actors originally auditioned for different roles. Michelle Collins, who played Cindy Beale, previously auditioned for punk single mother Mary Smith. Derek Martin, who played Charlie Slater, first tried out for Den Watts and Frank Butcher. The character of Stacey Slater was created especially for actress Lacey Turner after she auditioned to play the far smaller part of Demi Miller. 7. It's one hefty box set If you watched every episode of EastEnders, up to the show's 30th anniversary, back to back without sleeping, it would take around 104 days. 8. What makes a Mitchell matriarch? Barbara Windsor says three people influenced her portrayal of matriarch Peggy Mitchell: Violet Kray (mother of the infamous East End gangster twins), her own mother and actor Mike Reid, who played her on-screen husband Frank Butcher. Credit: BBC 9. The beer in The Vic is real For the drinks in The Vic, water is used instead of vodka and gin, while burnt sugar is added for whisky. Diluted apple juice stands in for white wine - but the beer in the pumps is real. 10.

Ian Beale is the Square's most wanted man Ian Beale is Albert Square’s most married man. He's wed Cindy, Laura, Mel, Jane, and Jane again. Phil Mitchell comes a close second with four wives - Nadia, Kathy, Kate and Sharon. 11. Silence is golden EastEnders was the first British drama to feature a two-minute silence, on Armistice Day 2005 - an award-winning episode which saw Alfie and Nana Moon visit Normandy. 12. They have to fake the weather Because EastEnders is filmed six to 12 weeks in advance, fake leaves are added to trees and plastic daffodils put in the ground to make it look more like spring than winter. 13. Going solo pays off Dot Cotton is the only character in British soap history to have an episode entirely to herself - she recorded a tape of memories for husband Jim in 2008 and actress June Brown was Bafta-nominated for her performance. There have been 18 two-hander episodes. 14.

Covering real issues makes a difference The 2001 child abuse storyline with Kat Slater and her uncle Harry saw calls to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children go up by 60 per cent. The NSPCC praised the show for covering the subject in a direct and sensitive way. Credit: BBC 15. The Olympics stole EastEnders' postcode Albert Square’s postcode is E20 6PQ. Walford’s postal district of E20 was originally fictitious - the highest real "E" code allocated was E18 (South Woodford). In 2011, the Royal Mail announced that the Olympic Stadium and surrounding area would be given E20 postcodes. Since 2012, the Olympic Park has also been visible on the aerial view of London in the opening credits. 16. They film... a lot Between 25 and 30 scenes are filmed each day, adding up to approximately 13 minutes of screen time. This compares to five or six minutes shot per day on a normal TV drama. 17.

It was inspired by American crime dramas Co-creator Julia Smith wanted EastEnders to change the look of British drama, with dark, gloomy sets inspired by US police procedural Hill Street Blues and extras busying themselves in the background to give a sense of reality. 18. Robbie Williams had a cameo Pop star Robbie Williams made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in the soap back in 1995. You could spot him in the background of one scene, using the payphone in the Queen Vic. 19. Susan Tully is a star infront and behind the camera Former Grange Hill star Susan Tully, who played EastEnders’ Michelle Fowler and had an infamous secret pregnancy storyline, is now a TV director, whose credits include Lark Rise to Candleford, Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Silent Witness. She also directed BBC Four sitcoms Getting On and Puppy Love. 20. Auf Wiedersehen, Set The outdoor Albert Square set was built on the same plot of land used for the building site in comedy-drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, which aired the year before EastEnders launched. 21.

Bianca was nearly played by a Spice Girl Patsy Kensit, Cheryl Baker and Joanna Lumley were all in the running for the part of Chrissie Watts, while Emma “Baby Spice” Bunton auditioned for the role of Bianca Jackson before joining the Spice Girls. Credit: BBC 22. Den was supposed to die the first time EastEnders creators Julia Smith and Tony Holland had their names removed from the credits of the 1989 episode when Dirty Den was shot, in protest over the BBC removing a shot of Den's body so they could leave the way open to a return. 23. The programme length is always the same Each episode is 27 minutes 15 seconds long. 24. Do not lean on the fence The railings around Albert Square look real, but are actually made of plastic and would collapse if someone leaned on them. 25. Dalston is the real Albert Square Albert Square was based on the architecture of Fassett Square in the Dalston area of Hackney, London, where 1860s merchants' houses face a well-kept community square - with bustling Ridley Road market nearby. 26.

Bianca's parents are too young Michael French (who plays David Wicks) and Lindsey Coulson (Carol Branning) played the parents of Bianca Butcher - even though, in real-life, they’re only 12 and 10 years older respectively than actress Patsy Palmer. 27. Everyone is buried in Watford Large funeral scenes are filmed in North Watford Cemetery. Smaller grave-visiting scenes are filmed on a patch of grass in the studio’s backlot, with a headstone temporarily erected. Credit: BBC 28. Angie Watts was too elegant Queen Vic landlady Angie Watts was originally due to be played by actress Jean Fennell, a genuine East Ender who got as far as shooting publicity photos alongside Leslie Grantham (Den Watts), Letitia Dean (Sharon) and dog Roly. After filming one short scene, though, Fennell was fired because she was too theatrical and elegant for the role. Her last-minute replacement was Anita Dobson. 29.

Bromley-by-Bow is where it's at On a Tube map that was first shown on-air in 1996, the fictional Walford East station is between Bow Road and West Ham on the Hammersmith & City and District lines, where Bromley-by-Bow station is located in real life. 30. The scripts stay topical Specially recorded topical material referencing recent events is sometimes inserted into episodes. This has included General Election results, the World Cup, Barack Obama’s US election victory, the death of Michael Jackson, Andy Murray winning Wimbledon, the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the birth of Prince George and the Scottish independence referendum result. 4 19 Jan 2017, 9:00pm 2 19 Jan 2017, 6:24pm Dirty Den gives Angie divorce papers for Christmas - EastEnders - BBC - YouTube Dirty Den gives Angie divorce papers for Christmas - EastEnders - BBC Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Sep 6, 2008 Your chance to watch one of the most infamous EastEnders couples, Angie and Den Watts (Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson), crumble under the harsh glare of a buzzing Christmas Queen Vic! Remember the moment Den discovered the truth about his alcoholo loving wife? Watch the iconic video here and don't forget to click beneath the video to watch in high quality! Show

Question: Which actress played the part of Angie in EastEnders?
Answer: Anita Dobson